Editing Plaid Cymru (section)

===1940s===
[[File:Plaid Cymru rally in Machynlleth in 1949 where the 'Parliament for Wales in 5 years' campaign was started (1455089).jpg|right|thumb|A Plaid Cymru rally in Machynlleth in 1949]]
Penyberth, and Plaid Cymru's neutral stance during the [[Second World War]], prompted concerns within the UK Government that it might be used by Germany to insert spies or carry out other covert operations.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.south-wales.police.uk/fe/master.asp?n1=8&n2=253&n3=504&n4=846 |title=Inspector Williams the Spy Catcher] |website=[[South Wales Police]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091112091335/http://www.south-wales.police.uk/fe/master.asp?n1=8&n2=253&n3=504&n4=846 |access-date=29 September 2006 |archive-date=12 November 2009 }}</ref> In fact, the party adopted a neutral standpoint and urged (with only limited success) [[conscientious objection]] to war service.<ref>Davies, J., ''A History of Wales'' (1990, rev. 2007), Penguin: "Saunders Lewis ... hoped that a substantial number of Welshmen would refuse to be conscripted on the grounds that they were Welsh. He was disappointed by their response."</ref>

In 1943, Saunders Lewis contested the University of Wales parliamentary seat at a by-election, gaining 1,330 votes, or 22%. In the [[1945 United Kingdom general election|1945 general election]], with party membership at around 2,500, Plaid Cymru contested seven seats, as many as it had in the preceding 20 years, including constituencies in south Wales for the first time. At this time [[Gwynfor Evans]] was elected president.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://biography.wales/article/s10-EVAN-RIC-1912 |title=EVANS, GWYNFOR RICHARD (1912-2005), Welsh nationalist and politician |date=2016-02-24 |access-date=2023-09-09 |website=The Dictionary of Welsh Biography |last=Dafis |first=Cynog}}</ref>